"The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," a statement carried by North Korea's state media organisation, the Korean Central News Agency (KNCA), said.

Japanese officials strongly condemned the statement, labelling it "extremely provocative and egregious".

Tensions have risen in the area in recent weeks following North Korea's sixth, and most powerful, nuclear test to date on September 3.

The sanctions, which also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial agreements with North Korean organisations, were approved by all 15 members of the Security Council, including China and Russia.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, claimed the measures - which are a watered-down version of the original US-drafted plan - will starve North Korea of at least $1.3bn in annual revenues.

She told the Security Council on Monday that the US continues to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis, saying North Korea has not yet "passed the point of no return".

"If it [North Korea] agrees to stop its nuclear programme, it can reclaim its future. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it," she said.